Sticky Sweet
by HecateA
Summary: Scorpius still isn't sure why the Aurors keep coming to Malfoy Manor or why his father is so tense when they do, but at least now he gets sweets out of it. Oneshot. Written for the Pre-Round Challenge of The House Cup.


**Author's note: **This fic goes out to Hufflepuff House's very own Aya! A word on the inspiration for this: I highly, highly, highly recommend you checking out blvnk's Harry Potter fanart in general, but I'm especially obsessed with the way she draws Auror Harry.

Also, we're going to read the following story while keeping in mind that: a) _Cursed Child _is a weird collective fever dream we all had and I'm going to go ahead and ignore it, and b) grown-up Harry would be great with children. Nobody can change my mind on this for this is the hill I will die on.

**Legal disclaimer: **The following characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and this story derives from her original works, storylines, and world. Please do not sue me, I can barely pay tuition.

**Warning: **NA

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**Submitting info:**

**House: **Hufflepuff

**Role: **Player (Second Year)

**Category: **Pre-Round Challenge

**Prompt: **Aya - Character - Scorpius Malfoy

**Word Count: **1332

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**Sticky Sweet **

They were sitting in front of the fireplace, which wasn't _really_ Scorpius' favourite place to play Gobstones, but if he and Dad played there, it was comfortable and warm enough for Mum to sit by and watch. She'd occasionally call out advice or tips, since she'd been in the Slytherin Gobstones Club when she'd gone to Hogwarts, before she'd even met Dad. Scorpius was going to join one day—she'd had more fun there than Dad had had at Quidditch, and at any rate Scorpius was afraid of heights.

"Good shot," Dad said as Scorpius knocked one of his stones out of the ring. They'd drawn it on the floor in chalk, and tugged the carpet over it when Grandmother and Grandfather came by to visit. Just in case.

Scorpius smiled and handed Dad his Gobstone. That was when the front bell rang, and Mum and Dad looked at each other.

"We weren't expecting company," Mum said, pushing herself up.

"Sit down, love; I'll get it," Dad said, putting a hand on Mum's shoulder and repositioning the blanket on her knees as he walked by.

She and Scorpius talked strategy until they heard Dad's footsteps followed by two others hike up the staircase. Dad looked annoyed, like when Grandfather brought up the Ministry at Sunday dinner or when Grandmother told Scorpius that she wished he'd gotten brothers and sisters.

Behind him were two men in long black coats and heavy boots. One of them wore round glasses, a short beard, and had his hair tied up in a bun. The back of his head was shaved, like one of the wizard rock stars Dad teased Mum about liking. The other was much shorter and completely bald, with brown eyes that flitted around the house quickly. Both had wands at the ready.

"Good evening, Mrs. Malfoy," the wizard with the beard said, bowing his head.

"Good evening, Mr Potter," Mum said. "What a pleasant surprise… the Head Auror himself..?"

"You don't have to get up for our sake, ma'am. We're just here for our routine inspection of the house," the man called Potter said.

Scorpius tilted his head to the side. "You're not the regular Auror we get."

"Scorpius," Dad said—again, it was as if it was Sunday dinner. But this time it was like when Grandfather said something like 'blood traitor' or 'Mudblood' and Scorpius wanted to tell him it was a bad word in case he'd forgotten but Dad interrupted him. He said even if Scorpius was right, it would only cause trouble.

"He's right," Potter shrugged, before turning to Scorpius. "Your Dad and I knew each other in school. Because of that, I usually try to send somebody else to see the house, but Aurors' schedules can get pretty strange. Is that alright?"

Scorpius nodded. Potter nodded back and turned to the other Auror and said something quietly.

"You'll give us the usual tour then, Mr Malfoy?" the other Auror said.

"Scorpius, stay with me, love," Mum said. She beckoned him over and he sat on her knee. She played with his hair and hummed softly. He couldn't look away from the Gobstones on the ground, abandoned. He'd had his next five moves all planned out.

"Why do they need Daddy?" Scorpius asked. "Why can't he play Gobstones?"

"He'll come back to finish the game," Mum promised.

"The Aurors come all the time," Scorpius said. "Why can't they go around the house on their own?"

"I don't know, Scorpius," Mum said. "I'm not an Auror."

The Aurors eventually made their way back to the parlor, and Scorpius wiggled down from his mother's knee to cross the room take his father's hand.

"Scorpius, we're nearly done," Dad promised.

"I have a question for the Aurors," he said.

"Scorpius, are you sure this has to…"

"It's fine," Potter said. He knelt down in front of Scorpius so that they were eye-to-eye. Now that he was so close, Scorpius saw that he was wearing a thick sweater with the letter H on it, and a big golden badge around his neck with the Auror Office logo on it. There was also something on his forehead, like a scratch.

"What are you looking for?" Scorpius asked.

Dad frowned, but he relaxed once he heard Potter's answer.

"We're not looking for anything," Potter said. "We're just making sure the house is safe."

"Oh," Scorpius said. "Well, thank you. Do you look at all the houses everywhere?"

"Not all of them," Potter said. "Some houses have special histories, is all."

"How long did it take to grow out your hair that long like a girl's?"

Potter laughed. "You sound like my daughter—but anybody can have long hair, really. It grows faster than you'd think."

"Can I have long hair?"

"You can ask your parents if you'd like. I had to ask my wife."

"What's her name?"

"Ginny," Potter said.

"Is she an Auror too?"

"No, she's much cooler," Potter said.

"Amen," the other Auror muttered behind him.

"Can I be an Auror?"

"Maybe one day," Potter said.

"Can Slytherins be Aurors? My family's all Slytherins, I think I'll be one too."

"Absolutely," Potter said. "How long until you go to Hogwarts?"

"Four years," Scorpius said. "I can't wait."

"Well, once you get to Hogwarts, remember to work hard and focus in your classes and learn a lot," Potter said. "That's the first step to becoming an Auror."

"If I were an Auror, I'd help people be safe all the time," Scorpius said.

"That's the best part about this job," Potter nodded.

"What's the second best part?" Scorpius said.

"How shiny the badge is," Potter said.

"The worst part must be having strange schedules," Scorpius said.

Again, Potter laughed. He looked up to Dad. "I think our spouses would agree. Is he allowed to have sweets after dinner?"

Dad nodded, and Potter reached into his pocket and offered a handful of Exploding Bonbons to Scorpius.

"Here, hopefully, we'll be able to find your favourite flavour… which is it?"

It was strawberry, and Potter found one.

"That's my last one, lucky you," Potter said, putting the rest of the candy back in his pocket. "I'd like to say it's because I meet lots of people to give candy to, but really I think all my kids go through my pockets and have the same tastes as you."

"What do you say, Scorpius?" Dad reminded him.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Scorpius said, closing his hand around the candy.

Potter smiled at him and then got up and looked to Dad.

"You're cleared for another month," he said.

"Okay," Dad said.

"I don't think you need to hear the terms and conditions of our searching privileges or of the house's ownership and appropriate usage again," Potter said.

"I'm quite familiar with them, thank you," Dad said.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Potter," Mum called from her spot on the sofa.

"We'll be off then," Potter said. "Thank you for your cooperation. Take care, Mrs. Malfoy. It was lovely to meet you, Scorpius. Good luck with the Gobstones."

He tossed Scorpius another piece of candy on his way out.

Dad came back upstairs once they were all done.

"He was so nice," Scorpius said.

"Mmm-hmm," Dad said. "Shall we finish our game?"

"Didn't you think he was nice, Dad?"

"I'm glad he had a strawberry candy for you," Dad said. "Was it my turn or yours?"

"Yours," Scorpius said. "Can you tell me about the history of the house after?"

"I can tell you about a million other things instead," Dad promised.

"But what about the house?"

"Not unless you have a grape bonbon to give me," Dad said.

Scorpius didn't, but promised that he could get some at Diagon Alley next time they all went. Dad ruffled up his hair. After a second, the ruffling became soft and Dad's fingers smoothed down Scorpius' hair gently.

"One day I'll tell you all about it for free, okay?" Dad said. "For now, let's play."


End file.
